NEWS: MFI Condemns Murder of Top USA Psychiatrist

Mon Sep 4 19:12:06 CDT 2006

MindFreedom News - 4 September 2006
http://www.MindFreedom.org - please forward

    A group representing "psychiatric survivors"
    condemns the alleged murder of a top USA psychiatrist.

    Hear discussion of this tragedy on MindFreedom
    News Hour Internet live free radio, Tuesday,
    5 Sept. 2006 at 1 pm EST at http://www.theprn.org.

An individual diagnosed with the psychiatric disability  
"schizophrenia" was charged today in Maryland, USA with the murder of  
his psychiatrist who is considered one of the leaders in the field of  
schizophrenia and an associate director at the USA National Institute  
of Mental Health.

David Oaks, director of MindFreedom International, issued this public  
statement:

"The majority of our MindFreedom members are individuals like myself  
who are diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities including  
schizophrenia. We absolutely condemn the alleged murder of  
psychiatrist Wayne S. Fenton. We understand that an individual  
diagnosed with schizophrenia has been charged today with this crime.  
While of course all the facts are not yet available, we emphasize  
that there is no excuse for the unlawful violence that has apparently  
occurred. We extend our sympathy to Dr. Fenton's loved ones and  
colleagues.

"We in the mental health advocacy community ask that groups lobbying  
for more forced psychiatric drugging do not politically exploit this  
horrible tragedy to stereotype those of us with psychiatric diagnoses  
as inherently violent. Our MindFreedom members are living examples of  
the scientific fact that the overwhelming majority of people with  
psychiatric diagnoses, including schizophrenia, are peaceful and  
contributing members of society.

"There are more effective and more humane ways to prevent violence in  
our society than the additional violence of forced psychiatric  
drugging and bigotry against people diagnosed with a psychiatric  
disability. As a start, it is time we finally listened to individuals  
with psychiatric diagnoses such as MindFreedom members about what has  
helped in their own recovery."

TRAGEDY TO BE DISCUSSED BY 2 DIAGNOSED 'SCHIOZOPHRENIC' ACTIVISTS ON  
INTERNET RADIO

*Tomorrow* Tuesday, 4 September 2006, at 1 pm EST (1700 UTC), you may  
hear two activists diagnosed with 'schizophrenia' discuss this tragic  
event and its fallout on the MindFreedom News Hour Live Free Internet  
Radio Show.

Just click on http://www.theprn.org to hear the MFI News Hour live,  
or later as an archive.

You may email in questions and comments to be read live on air at  
radio at mindfreedom.org

Host is David Oaks, director of MindFreedom International, who was  
diagnosed with schizophrenia and has worked for 30 years as a human  
rights activist in the mental health field.

The guest is Will Hall who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent  
a year in San Francisco's public mental health system, including  
locked wards, solitary confinement, and neuroleptic drugging. Will  
went on to become co-founder in 2000 of the Freedom Center, a support  
advocacy and activism group in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA that  
works for human rights and offers mental health alternatives such as  
a free acupuncture clinic and yoga class. Freedom Center is a Sponsor  
Group in MindFreedom International.

~~~~~~~~~

News report links about alleged murder of Dr. Fenton:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/04/national/ 
printable1964040.shtml

or use this smaller web address:

http://tinyurl.com/sxqkh

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/ 
AR2006090400430.html

or use this smaller web address:

http://tinyurl.com/rqgtp

~~~~~~~~~~

ACTION: Please forward this statement and news to all appropriate  
places on and off the Internet.

~~~~~~~~~~

A new issue of _MindFreedom Journal_ has been mailed to MFI members.  
This issue #47 profiles positive accomplishments of psychiatric  
survivors, including an MFI team that has championed human rights  
inside United Nations meetings, which recently proposed a binding  
global treaty on disability rights.

Note that receiving this MFI news e-mail announcement, which is a  
free public service, does not necessarily mean you are an MFI member.  
If you are not an MFI member and want one free sample copy of the  
journal -- or you want to check your membership status -- e-mail to  
office at mindfreedom.org. Or better yet, join or renew now at http:// 
www.mindfreedom.org and you'll be sent the journal and other  
information as an MFI member.

~~~~~~~~~

Watch for for a new MFI web site in the next few weeks... MFI is  
launching a new content management system web site using Plone. If  
you would like to volunteer contact the MFI office at  
office at mindfreedom.org.

~~~~~~~~~

Join MindFreedom International, donate, or renew your membership.

Do you want to...

* Win human rights campaigns in mental health?

* End abuse by the psychiatric drug industry?

* Support the self-determination of psychiatric survivors?

* Promote safe, humane and effective options in mental health?

You are not alone! MindFreedom is a nonprofit human rights group that  
unites 100 sponsor and affiliate groups with individual members, and  
is accredited by the United Nations as a Non-Governmental  
Organization (NGO) with Consultative Roster Status. Join or donate  
today!

MindFreedom is one of the very few totally independent groups in the  
mental health field with no funding from governments, drug companies,  
religions, corporations, or the mental health system. While most of  
MindFreedom's members are psychiatric survivors, *all* who support  
human rights are invited to join and become active leaders.

JOIN, RENEW, DONATE, or give GIFT MEMBERSHIPS to MindFreedom  
International today:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join.shtml

For a MAD MARKET of books and other products to support human rights  
campaigns in mental health: http://www.madmarket.org

MindFreedom International Office: 454 Willamette, Suite 216 - POB  
11284; Eugene, OR 97440-3484 USA

web site: http://www.mindfreedom.org
e-mail: office at mindfreedom.org
office phone: (541) 345-9106
toll free: 1-877-MAD-PRIDe or 1-877-623-7743
fax: (541) 345-3737

Please forward.